Building construction



July 8, 1930 D. F.IcoMsTocK I r:1,FZ/170,200

BUILDING coNsTUcTIoN Filed March 7, 1929 Patented July j 8, 1.930

nlvgJNrrEu STATES j'PATEN'r oFFlcE c DANIEL r. coiusT'ocx, or EosToN,`MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNoE To comsTocx a coTT, mc., or EoSToN,MASSACHUSETTS, A conronATIoN or MASSACHUSETTS :BUILDINGv('IONSITRU'.CTION' Application me@ march, 7,

It is well known that vacuum insulation is many times more effectivethan other forms of insulation and this type has been used eX- tensivelyin thermos bottles and other small articles of tubular form wherein theshape is such as to. withstand the atmospheric pressure on oppositesides of the evacuated walls. The obj ect of the present invention is tomake this type of insulation available for wall construction and moreparticularly to providesuch insulation in the form of flat slabs whichmay be setfedge to edge in walls, thereby to form a vacuum insulatedwall of any desired dimensions.

Wall construction of the type referred to involves a number of problemsforeign to the art of vacuum bottles, chief of which are-the following.Owing to the fact that the `units must be flat instead of tubular theflat sides must be bridged at frequent intervals by braces adapted tocounteract the atmospheric pressure on opposite sides of the slabs andthus prevent the flat sides from collapsing toward each other. Theopposite sidesv of the slabs must be sealed throughout a long distance(along each of their four edges), instead of merely around a small neckas 1n the case of thermos bottles, thereby making it imperative to'avoidseals of conducting material which would conduct a disportionate amountof heat. The slabs must be constructed sol that they may be transportedand mounted in a wall without substantial danger of breakage andpreferably'so that if the vacuum walls are accidentally broken afterslabs do not collapse but still function as insulators comparable to thetypes now in use fdr refrigerator and building walls.

According to this invention the slabs preferably comprise two plates ofglass, or other insulating material, sealedl together around theirperipheries with an evacuated space therebetween containing theaforesaid pressure counteracting bridges, and insulating material on theoutside of each plate and surrounding 'the aforesaid peripheries. The

,I i j glass plates may be integrally united either i lby fusing themtogether around their edges 5 04 after being separately'formed or byblowing the slabs have been incorporated in a wall the 1929. Serial No.345,074.

a slab with parallel sides. The layers of insulation on opposite sidesof the glass body or core have margins projecting beyondthe edges of thecore and the spaces between the projecting margins may be7 lled withinsulating material, preferably integral wit-h the aforesaid layers.While this insulation housing for the glassl core may be formed invarious ways,asfor example. in the form of a continuous integral onepiece covering' of molded material such as ground cork, it is preferablyformed in two sheets of cork, fiber board, asbestos board, or otherinsulating material, in whichcase the aforesaid margins may be` madethicker so that they meet around 65 the core, thereby avoiding thenecessity ofl using separate filling material around the periphery ofthe core. In any case the layers of insulation on opposite sides of thecore are united together to form a unitary structure. 1While the layersmay vbe united through the medium of the core, as by adhesion to thecore, vthey are preferably united directly together around the peripheryof the core.

'The invention is also preferablyv characterized -in that the insulationhousing for the glass core is of such nature that it may bel nailed orscrewed in place in the wall structure, thereby facilitating the processof erection and insuring permanency and rigidity of the resulting wall.

For the purpose of illustration typical embodiments of the invention areshown in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is an elevation of asingle unit; gig. 2 is a section on line 2--2 of Fig. 1,.; an Y Fig. 3is a .partial section of a modification.

The particular embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises twoL glassplates 1 and 2, which are rectangular asushown in Fig. 1, and whicharefused together around-.their lperipheries as shown in Fig.V 2. Theopposing faces of these plates are spaced apart to provide 'a space'3which is evacuated 1n any suitable way. The/particular means forpreventing the plates 1j and 2 from collapsing shown in Figs'. 1 and 2comprises protuberances 4 which. project inwardly from each I portionswhich project/beyond the periphery,

of the core meet along the plane 7. The parts 6 may be secured togetherin any suitable way, as for example by cementing themtogether aroundtheir margins, or by cement- 'ing each sheet to the core, or in bothways.

The modification shown in Fig. 3 is similar to that illustrated in Figs.1 and 2, ex-

-sulating material"v seale cept in the following particulars. Thepressure counteracting means is in the form of columns 4c', which may',be formedro any suitable insulating material such as wood, and held inplace in anysuitable manner, as by cement. A Instead of silvering theopposing faces of the glass vplates 1 and 2, the space therebetween maybe -filled with finely divided material, either in powder or rous form,such as for example a mixture of silocel and comminuted carbon. Theinsulation covering in Fig. 3 is shown as a one-piece enclosure moldedaround the core of any suitable insulating material susceptible to amolding operation, as for example celotex.

. I claim: 1

1. An insulation slab for use in buildingl `insulating walls, comprisingtwo plates of insulating materlal sealed together around theirperipheries with an.evacuated space therebetween anda layer of insulatinmaterial on the outside of each plate, sai layers being united beyondsaid peripheries to form a unitary'structure which may readily betransported and'attached in position in a Wall. Y

2. An insulation slab-for use in building insulating walls, comprisintwo plates o together around their peripheries with an evacuated spacetherebetween, insulating bridges distributed throughout said'evacuatedspace to counteract pressure o n the outer faces of the plates, and alayerof insulating material on the outside of` each-plate, said layerslbeing united beyond said peripheries. to form a unitary structure whichmay readily be transported and attached in position in a wall.

3; An insulation slab-for use in building insulating walls,comprisingtwo glass plates integrally united around theirv peripheriesside of each plate and surrounding said peing ture which mayv readily betransported and attached in position in a wall.

Y 4. An insulation slab for use in building insulation walls, comprisingtwo plates of insulation sealed together around :their peripheries withan evacuated space therebey tween, anda layer of material on the out-'side of each plate extending beyond said peripheries, the space betweensaid layers outside said peripheries being filled with: insulatingmaterial, and said parts being secured together to, form aunitarystructure which may be safely transported and mounted in a wall.

5. An insulationvslab for use in building insulation walls, comprisingtwo plates of insulation sealed together around'their peripheries withan evacuated space therebetween, and insulating materiall onthe out- S5ripheries, the material on oppositesides being united beyondsaidperipheries to form a unitary structure whichmay be safelytrailsportedand mounted( in position in a wa 6. An insulation slab foruse in building insulation walls, comprising'two plates lof glassintegrally united around their peripheries with an evacuated space'therebetween,

a layer of insulation on the'outside of each 2 plate with marins-projecting beyond said peripheries, an insulation ymaterial iillingthe space between said projecting margins, said insulation being unitedtogether lto. form a housing for the glass. v

7. An insulation slab for use in-building walls, comprising two platesof glass inte` grally united around their peripheries with an evacuatedspace therebetewen, a layer of insulation on the outsidev of each platewith margins projecting beyond said peripheries, and insulation materiallling the space between said projecting margins, said insula-v. tionmaterial being integral with said layer insulation and 'all of saidinsulation being united together to form a housing for the lass.

Signed by me at Boston, Mass., this 13th day of November, 1928. v

- DANIEL F. COMSTOCK.

with an evacuated. space therebetween and a layer of insulating materialon the outside of each late,- said layers being united beyond saiperipheries to form a unitary strucl

